Keeper(2)

“It must be all the hair spray affecting his brain,” he said, his smile widening.

My cheeks grew warm. “So . . . you a big comic book fan?”

“I appreciate them, but big crowds like this? Not really my scene. A friend of mine paid me twenty bucks to drive him here tonight.”

“Yeah, not really my scene either. I’m more of a small group kind of gal.”

He chuckled and pointed to my prep book. “Doing a little light reading?”

“You can never be too prepared,” I said, my cheeks blazing hotter. “The test is in two days. I’m graduating early, and I have to get at least a 2200 to get into my top schools. The science programs are pretty competitive.” Oh my God. Could you sound like a bigger nerd?

He nodded politely. “That’s pretty impressive.”

“I’ve moved around a lot,” I said with a shrug. “Tons of sleepy little towns where nothing ever happens. I want to get out and see the world, ya know? So many things to see and discover. I figured why wait?” Stop. Just stop. I wanted to smack myself. Of all my quirks, nervous word-vomiting was definitely my least favorite.

“I think that’s really cool,” he said, and then we stood there staring awkwardly at each other for a moment as if neither of us knew what to say next.

“So . . . thank you,” I finally blurted out, much louder than I meant to.

“Happy to help.” He smiled, and that strange sensation washed over me again. It was like the cool underside of the pillow after a long day or the way hot cocoa warms you from the inside out after you’ve been out in the cold for too long.

There was something oddly familiar about him, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. “I’m sorry, but have we met before?” I asked.

His smile faltered and his eyes seemed to cloud over. “No, I don’t think so.” He looked down at his feet, scuffing the tile with his shoe. When he looked back up again, however, his smile had returned.

“Right,” I said. “Well, I really appreciate your help. My name’s Lainey, by the way.” I held out my hand.

“Nice to meet you, Lainey.” He took my hand in his. “I’m Ty.”

“Lainey!”

I jumped as Maggie ran over and grabbed me by the arm, spinning me around in a circle. “Guess what?” she squealed. “That guy I was talking to just asked me to go grab a coffee with him!”

“That’s great, Mags,” I said, pulling myself from her grip with a laugh. I turned back to where Ty had been standing, but the patch of wall he’d occupied was empty. I scanned the crowd, but there wasn’t a single stitch of gray in the sea of color. He was gone.

I sighed and turned back to Maggie, who proceeded to tell me every single detail of her conversation with Heath, the boy in the newsy hat.

“I told him I’d have to take a rain check, of course, but it was so nice to be asked!”

I frowned. “Wait, why didn’t you say yes?”

“I promised I’d quiz you on your words if you came with me,” Maggie said with a shrug. “What kind of best friend would I be if I bailed on you like that?”

“And what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t let you off the hook.” I smiled at her. “You should go.”

Maggie narrowed her eyes at me. “Are you sure? Because you, Lainey Styles, are the true love of my life, and you come first.”

I grinned. “I’m totally sure. I need to be home early tonight anyway. Go have fun.”

“It’s just so rare to find someone who actually understands that Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker’s one true love. Everyone is always Team Mary Jane.”

“See? You have to go.”

Maggie squealed again and threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. “You’re the best!”

“Have fun—and text me when you get home.”

“Will do, Styles. Love you!” Maggie yelled over her shoulder as she scampered off.

“Well,” I said, hugging my SAT prep book to my chest, “guess it’s just you and me, then.” I sighed again and made my way toward the door.

Outside, the night air was crisp with a slight chill. Coats were usually unnecessary until the dead of winter—a “perk” of living in the Deep South—but October had brought with it some unseasonably cool temperatures. I wasn’t complaining; it was nice to be able to walk outside for ten minutes and not need a shower afterward.

The parking lot was less chaotic than inside the shop, but there were still dozens of people milling about. I dodged around a lightsaber fight and a very serious-looking game of Magic: The Gathering and made my way toward the sidewalk. My beat-up red Ford Escort was parked around the corner a few blocks down the street.

Lainey.

I jumped at the sound of my name and turned around. There was a family with two small children standing a few paces away and a group of middle-school-aged boys, but no one I recognized.

I looked around, shrugged, and kept walking.

Lainey.

This time the melodic, yet pleading voice was so close, it was as if someone were whispering in my ear. I shrieked a little and whirled around. “Maggie?”

There was no sign of her. A massive case of the heebie-

jeebies pricked at my spine, but I shook it off, squeezing my SAT prep book a little tighter to my chest. There was a round of loud shouting as the lightsaber duel intensified, and more people were pouring out into the parking lot.